the memoirs of marie antoinette-第18章

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ntirely　undressed；　was　just　going　to　put　on　her　shift；　I　held　it　ready　unfolded　for　her；　the　dame　d'honneur　came　in；　slipped　off　her　gloves；　and　took　it。　　A　scratching　was　heard　at　the　door；　it　was　opened；　and　in　came　the　Duchesse　d'Orleans：　her　gloves　were　taken　off；　and　she　came　forward　to　take　the　garment；　but　as　it　would　have　been　wrong　in　the　dame　d'honneur　to　hand　it　to　her　she　gave　it　to　me；　and　I　handed　it　to　the　Princess。　　More　scratching　it　was　Madame　la　Comtesse　de　Provence；　the　Duchesse　d'Orl4ans　handed　her　the　linen。　　All　this　while　the　Queen　kept　her　arms　crossed　upon　her　bosom；　and　appeared　to　feel　cold；　Madame　observed　her　uncomfortable　situation；　and；　merely　laying　down　her　handkerchief　without　taking　off　her　gloves；　she　put　on　the　linen；　and　in　doing　so　knocked　the　Queen's　cap　off。　　The　Queen　laughed　to　conceal　her　impatience；　but　not　until　she　had　muttered　several　times；　〃How　disagreeable！　　how　tiresome！〃

All　this　etiquette；　however　inconvenient；　was　suitable　to　the　royal　dignity；　which　expects　to　find　servants　in　all　classes　of　persons；　beginning　even　with　the　brothers　and　sisters　of　the　monarch。

Speaking　here　of　etiquette；　I　do　not　allude　to　majestic　state；　appointed　for　days　of　ceremony　in　all　Courts。　　I　mean　those　minute　ceremonies　that　were　pursued　towards　our　Kings　in　their　inmost　privacies；　in　their　hours　of　pleasure；　in　those　of　pain；　and　even　during　the　most　revolting　of　human　infirmities。

These　servile　rules　were　drawn　up　into　a　kind　of　code；　they　offered　to　a　Richelieu；　a　La　Rochefoucauld　and　a　Duras；　in　the　exercise　of　their　domestic　functions；　opportunities　of　intimacy　useful　to　their　interests；　and　their　vanity　was　flattered　by　customs　which　converted　the　right　to　give　a　glass　of　water；　to　put　on　a　dress；　and　to　remove　a　basin；　into　honourable　prerogatives。

Princes　thus　accustomed　to　be　treated　as　divinities　naturally　ended　by　believing　that　they　were　of　a　distinct　nature；　of　a　purer　essence　than　the　rest　of　mankind。

This　sort　of　etiquette；　which　led　our　Princes　to　be　treated　in　private　as　idols；　made　them　in　public　martyrs　to　decorum。　　Marie　Antoinette　found　in　the　Chateau　of　Versailles　a　multitude　of　established　customs　which　appeared　to　her　insupportable。

The　ladies…in…waiting；　who　were　all　obliged　to　be　sworn；　and　to　wear　full　Court　dresses；　were　alone　entitled　to　remain　in　the　room；　and　to　attend　in　conjunction　with　the　dame　d'honneur　and　the　tirewoman。　　The　Queen　abolished　all　this　formality。　　When　her　head　was　dressed；　she　curtsied　to　all　the　ladies　who　were　in　her　chamber；　and；　followed　only　by　her　own　women；　went　into　her　closet；　where　Mademoiselle　Bertin；　who　could　not　be　admitted　into　the　chamber；　used　to　await　her。　　It　was　in　this　inner　closet　that　she　produced　her　new　and　numerous　dresses。　　The　Queen　was　also　desirous　of　being　served　by　the　most　fashionable　hairdresser　in　Paris。　　Now　the　custom　which　forbade　all　persons　in　inferior　offices；　employed　by　royalty；　to　exert　their　talents　for　the　public；　was　no　doubt　intended　to　cut　off　all　communication　between　the　privacy　of　princes　and　society　at　large；　the　latter　being　always　extremely　curious　respecting　the　most　trifling　particulars　relative　to　the　private　life　of　the　former。　The　Queen；　fearing　that　the　taste　of　the　hairdresser　would　suffer　if　he　should　discontinue　the　general　practice　of　his　art；　ordered　him　to　attend　as　usual　certain　ladies　of　the　Court　and　of　Paris；　and　this　multiplied　the　opportunities　of　learning　details　respecting　the　household；　and　very　often　of　misrepresenting　them。

One　of　the　customs　most　disagreeable　to　the　Queen　was　that　of　dining　every　day　in　public。　　Maria　Leczinska　had　always　submitted　to　this　wearisome　practice；　Marie　Antoinette　followed　it　as　long　as　she　was　Dauphiness。　　The　Dauphin　dined　with　her；　and　each　branch　of　the　family　had　its　public　dinner　daily。　　The　ushers　suffered　all　decently　dressed　people　to　enter；　the　sight　was　the　delight　of　persons　from　the　country。　At　the　dinner…hour　there　were　none　to　be　met　upon　the　stairs　but　honest　folks；　who；　after　having　seen　the　Dauphiness　take　her　soup；　went　to　see　the　Princes　eat　their　'bouilli'；　and　then　ran　themselves　out　of　breath　to　behold　Mesdames　at　their　dessert。

Very　ancient　usage；　too；　required　that　the　Queens　of　France　should　appear　in　public　surrounded　only　by　women；　even　at　meal…times　no　persons　of　the　other　sex　attended　to　serve　at　table；　and　although　the　King　ate　publicly　with　the　Queen；　yet　he　himself　was　served　by　women　with　everything　which　was　presented　to　him　directly　at　table。　　The　dame　d'honneur；　kneeling；　for　her　own　accommodation；　upon　a　low　stool；　with　a　napkin　upon　her　arm；　and　four　women　in　full　dress；　presented　the　plates　to　the　King　and　Queen。　The　dame　d'honneur　handed　them　drink。　　This　service　had　formerly　been　the　right　of　the　maids　of　honour。　　The　Queen；　upon　her　accession　to　the　throne；　abolished　the　usage　altogether。　　She　also　freed　herself　from　the　necessity　of　being　followed　in　the　Palace　of　Versailles　by　two　of　her　women　in　Court　dresses；　during　those　hours　of　the　day　when　the　ladies…in…　waiting　were　not　with　her。　　From　that　time　she　was　accompanied　only　by　a　single　valet　de　chambre　and　two　footmen。　　All　the　changes　made　by　Marie　Antoinette　were　of　the　same　description；　a　disposition　gradually　to　substitute　the　simple　customs　of　Vienna　for　those　of　Versailles　was　more　injurious　to　her　than　she　could　possibly　have　imagined。

When　the　King　slept　in　the　Queen's　apartment　he　always　rose　before　her；　the　exact　hour　was　communicated　to　the　head　femme　de　chambre；　who　entered；　preceded　by　a　servant　of　the　bedchamber　bearing　a　taper；　she　crossed　the　room　and　unbolted　the　door　which　separated　the　Queen's　apartment　from　that　of　the　King。　　She　there　found　the　first　valet　de　chambre　for　the　quarter；　and　a　servant　of　the　chamber。　　They　entered；　opened　the　bed　curtains　on　the　King's　side；　and　presented　him　slippers　generally；　as　well　as　the　dressing…gown；　which　he　put　on；　of　gold　or　silver　stuff。　　The　first　valet　de　chambre　took　down　a　short　sword　which　was　always　laid　within　the　railing　on　the　King's　side。　　When　the　King　slept　with　the　Queen；　this　sword　was　brought　upon　the　armchair　appropriated　to　the　King；　and　which　was　placed　near　the　Queen's　bed；　within　the　gilt　railing　which　surrounded　the　bed。　　The　first　femme　de　chambre　conducted　the　King　to　the　door；　bolted　it　again；　and；　leaving　the　Queen's　chamber；　did　not　return　until　the　hour　appointed　by　her　Majesty　the　evening　before。　　At　night　the　Queen　went　to　bed　before　the　King；　the　first　femme　de　chambre　remained　seated　at　the　foot　of　her　bed　until　the　arrival　of　his　Majesty；　in　order；　as　in　the　morning；　to　see　the　King's　attendants　out　and　bolt　the　door　after　them。　　The　Queen　awoke　habitually　at　eight　o'clock；　and　breakfasted　at　nine；　frequently　in　bed；　and　sometimes　after　she　had　risen；　at　a　table　placed　opposite　her　couch。

In　order　to　describe　the　Queen's　private　service　intelligibly；　it　must　be　recollected　that　service　of　every　kind　was　honour；　and　had　not　any　other　denomination。　　To　do　the　honours　of　the　service　was　to　present　the　service　to　a　person　of　superior　rank；　who　happened　to　arrive　at　the　moment　it　was　about　to　be　performed。　　Thus；　supposing　the　Queen　asked　for　a　glass　of　water；　the　servant　of　the　chamber　handed　to　the　first　woman　a　silver　gilt　waiter；　upon　which　were　placed　a　covered　goblet　and　a　small　decanter；　but　should　the　lady　of　honour　come　in；　the　first　woman　was　obliged　to　present　the　waiter　to　her；　and　if　Madame　or　the　Comtesse　d'Artois　came　in　at　the　moment；　the　waiter　went　again　from　the　lady　of　honour　into　the　hands　of　the　Princess　before　it　reached　the　Queen。　　It　must　be　observed；　however；　that　if　a　princess　of　the　blood　instead　of　a　princess　of　the　family　entered；　the　service　went　directly　from　the　first　woman　to　the　princess　of　the　blood；　the　lady　of　honour　being　excused　from　transferring　to　any　but　princesses　of　the　royal　family。　　Nothing　was　presented　directly　to　the　Queen；　her　handkerchief　or　her　gloves　were　placed　upon　a　long　salver　of　gold　or　silver　gilt；　which　was　placed　as　a　piece　of　furniture　of　ceremony　upon　a　side…table；　and　was　called　a　gantiere。　　The　first　woman　presented　to　her　in　this　manner　all　that　she　asked　for；　unless　the　tirewoman；　the　lady　of　honour；　or　a　princess　were　present；　and　then　the　gradation　pointed　out　in　the　instance　of　the　glass　of　water　was　always　observed。

Whether　the　Queen　breakfasted　in　bed　or　up；　those　entitled　to　the　petites　entrees　were　equally　admitted；　this　privilege　belonged　of　right　to　her　chief　physician；　chief　surgeon；　physician　in　ordinary；　reader；　closet　secretary；　the　King's　four　first　valets　de　chambre　and　their　reversioners；　and　the　King's　chief　physicians　and　surgeons。　　There　were　frequently　from　ten　to　twelve　persons　at　this　first　entree。　　The　lady　of　honour　or　the　superintendent；　if　present；　placed　the　breakfast　equipage　upon　the　bed；　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe　frequently　performed　that　office。

As　soon　as　the　Queen　rose；　the　wardrobe　woman　was　admitted　to　take　away　the　pillows　and　prepare　the　bed　to　be　made　by　some　of　the　valets　de　chambre。　　She　undrew　the　curtains；　and　the　bed　was　not　generally　made　until　the　Queen　was　gone　to　mass。　　Generally；　excepting　at　St。　　Cloud；　where　the　Queen　bathed　in　an　apartment　below　her　own；　a　slipper　bath　was　rolled　into　her　room；　and　her　bathers　brought　everything　that　was　necessary　for　the　bath。　　The　Queen　bathed　in　a　large　gown　of　English　flannel　buttoned　down　to　the　bottom；。　　its　sleeves　throughout；　as　well　as　the　collar；　were　lined　with　linen。　　When　she　came　out　of　the　bath　the　first　woman　held　up　a　cloth　to　conceal　her　entirely　from　the　sight　of　her　women；　and　then　threw　it　over　her　shoulders。　　The　bathers　wrapped　her　in　it　and　dried　her　completely。　　She　then　put　on　a　long　and　wide　open　chemise；　entirely　trimmed　with　lace；　and　afterwards　a　white　taffety　bed…　gown。　　The　wardrobe　woman　warmed　the　bed；　the　slippers　were　of　dimity；　trimmed　with　lace。　　Thus　dressed；　the　Queen　went　to　bed　again；　and　the　bathers　and　servants　of　the　chamber　took　away　the　bathing　apparatus。　　The　Queen；　replaced　in　bed；　took　a　book　or　her　tapestry　work。　　On　her　bathing　mornings　she　breakfasted　in　the　bath。　　The　tray　was　placed　on　the　cover　of　the　bath。　　These　minute　details　are　given　here　only　to　do　justice　to　the　Queen's　scrupulous　modesty。　　Her　temperance　was　equally　remarkable；　she　breakfasted　on　coffee　or　chocolate；　at　dinner　ate　nothing　but　white　meat；　drank　water　only；　and　supped　on　broth；　a　wing　of　a　fowl；　and　small　biscuits；　which　she　soaked　in　a　glass　of　water。

The　tirewoman　had　under　her　order　a　principal　under…tirewoman；　charged　with　the　care　and　preservation　of　all　the　Queen's　dresses；　two　women　to　fold　and　press　such　articles　as　required　it；　two　valets；　and　a　porter　of　the　wardrobe。　　The　latter　brought　every　morning　into　the　Queen's　apartments　baskets　covered　with　taffety；　containing　all　that　she　was　to　wear　during　the　day；　and　large　cloths　of　green　taffety　covering　the　robes　and　the　full　dresses。　　The　valet　of　the　wardrobe　on　duty　presented　every　morning　a　large　book　to　the　first　femme　de　chambre；　containing　patterns　of　the　gowns；　full　dresses；　undresses；　etc。　　Every　pattern　was　marked；　to　show　to　which　sort　it　belonged。　　The　first　femme　de　chambre　presented